Colorado 'Poised To Be A Model State,' Hickenlooper Says In Inauguration
DENVER (CBS4/AP) - Gov. John Hickenlooper took the oath of office Tuesday morning to begin his second term as Colorado's governor, contrasting the current strengths of the state with its weaknesses from 2011.
He opened his address by noting the changes Colorado's endured in the last four years, one marked by significant economic recovery but also tempered by major tests, including severe natural disasters.
"I'm not the same person I was four years ago. Colorado is not the same state it was four years ago," he said.
VIDEO: Hickenlooper's Full Inaugural Address
Hickenlooper noted that the state has recovered from a severe recession, and battled major wildfires in urban corridors and historic flooding along the Front Range in 2013.
"When we took office four years ago, Colorado was in a precarious state. We lagged behind most of the nation when it came to job growth. Our unemployment was at 9.1 percent. Our state had a
$1 billion dollar deficit. And we were only able to put 2 percent of our state funds into emergency reserves," Hickenlooper said.
But he touted the gains the state has made under his watch: unemployment cut to 4 percent, a surge in job growth and a rainy-day fund of about $600 million.
"Colorado is no longer in a precarious state. It is poised to be a model state," the governor said.
Politically, he enters new territory in 2015, needing to work with a divided state Legislature, as Colorado Republicans took narrow control of the Senate, while Democrats maintained their lead in the House.
Amid a national wave of election routs at the hands of Republicans, Hickenlooper bucked the trend and defeated Republican Bob Beauprez, a former U.S. House representative and governor candidate in 2006.
Hickenlooper urged collaboration. "No one party, no one person has all the answers," he said.
During his first term, Hickenlooper also oversaw the nation's first recreational marijuana marketplace after Colorado voters legalized the drug in 2012. While he opposed legalization, the governor directed lawmakers to implement a regulatory framework that keeps pot away from minors, and he's pushed to allow banking services for marijuana businesses.
The governor has also been at the center of some controversial decisions.
In 2013, Democrats in control of both legislative chambers passed gun-control legislation that Hickenlooper signed amid unanimous Republican opposition at the Capitol. The new gun laws were prompted by the theater shooting.
That same year, Hickenlooper granted an indefinite stay of execution to Nathan Dunlap, who was convicted in the 1993 slayings of four people at an Aurora Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant.
Hickenlooper's critics used the gun legislation and the death-penalty reprieve in political ads against him, while the governor pledged to run a clean campaign without negative ads.
The governor will be working with a divided legislature this year. Democrats control the house, while Republicans control the Senate. Both reacted positively to the governor's speech.
"I thought it was a very encouraging speech, he has a vision that hopefully everyone inside this Capitol building can work together and make sure that all corners of the state have a prosperous future," said Rep. Polly Lawrence, R-Roxborough Park.
"I think the next four years is about John Hickenlooper's legacy for the state. And I think it's going to be important that he not only works with both sides of the aisle, but both chambers; and really all the people of Colorado, especially when comes to issues like TABOR," said Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
